Stating that the price of sand has shot up abnormally after the government introduced its new policy, Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India, Builders Association of India, and CII have demanded that the price of sand be brought down to Rs.450 a cubic meter.
CREDAI Visakhapatnam chapter chairman B. Raja Srinivas, president K. Ramakrishna Rao and honorary secretary P. Koteswara Rao, CII past chairman G. Sambasiva Rao and BAI past secretary Kasi Visweswara Rao said the government fixed the price at Rs.1,000 cu m and it resulted in price of sand going up from Rs.2,200 a unit to Rs.5,500. The abnormal hike would result in cost of construction going up by Rs.200 per sft, they told reporters here.
Later, the government lowered the price to Rs.675 a cu m. However, the system of fixing loading times from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the condition that money should be paid by demand draft before 5 p.m. was making things very complicated. The process should be simplified.
Mr. Srinivas said no negotiations were carried out before fixing the price.
Round-the-clock payment should be accepted and instead of GPRS, CC cameras could be installed at the reaches, suggested Mr. Sambasiva Rao.